Motoriding

Archive for September, 2009

Testing The Power Supply To Your 12v Or 24v Fridge

To start a fridge compressor requires a high level of current for a milli second. Any resistance in the wiring or undersizing of the cables will cause the voltage to drop below the automatic cut out level when the compressor tries to start.

If the compressor is a Danfoss BD35 or BD50 carry out a fault diagnosis test using an LED connected to the small and the D terminal on the controller. If you have an earlier model Danfoss BD2.5 or ACC compressor start by testing the power supply using the guidelines below.

To properly test the power supply to a Danfoss or ACC powered 12v or 24v system the following testing procedure must be carried out. This will confirm if the power supply feeding the system is free of bad loose and/or highresistance connections. Reading the voltage on the panel or at the batteries is meaningless as is the fact that you may have new batteries your battery size and the capacity of the battery bank is also irrelevant.

The Process

1. Turn off the breaker or remove the fuse supplying DC power to the system.

2. Unplug one of the thermostat leads at the controller if you can make up a small circuit to link out the thermostat terminals C amp; T.

3. Using a multimeter read and record the DC voltage at the battery terminals.

4. Next connect the multimeter reading DC voltage to the power terminals and on the compressors controller so that it can be left connected and monitored.

5. Turn on the breaker or install the fuse to the system.

6. Check that the voltage is the same as the voltage seen at the battery terminals.

7. Watching the multimeter reconnect the thermostat lead or your link out circuit and monitor the voltage continuously before during and after the compressor starts or attempts to start.

Interpreting power supply results

If the power supply is free of loose bad and/or high resistance connections the voltage reading will stay very stable and only drop slightly when the compressor starts. As a general rule on a 12v system the reading should not drop below 12v.

If when the compressor attempts to start the voltage reading drops significantly a bad electrical connection should be suspected. If the voltage drop is sufficient to fall below the 10.5v 23v cutoff built in to the controller the compressor will stop. At this point the voltage may return to its original reading. The fan or in marine applications the pump will continue to run for approx. 45 seconds and then the compressor will attempt a restart. If the pre start voltage is above 11.5v 23.5v the compressor will start or attempt to restart again.

WARNING If the multimeter you are using is a digital model the voltage may drop below 10.5v 23v and then recover too quickly to register on the meter. This means the compressor is attempting to start then stopping due to low voltage the voltage returns to its original value and there being no significant drop on the meter.

If the compressor starts and runs OK but stops after a short while or when the battery charger is turned off the voltage may be gradually dropping falling below the 10.5v 23v cutoff point when the compressor tries to restart. This should be identified on your meter.

If the nature of the fault is such that the voltage reading drops below 10.5v 23v even before the compressor attempts to start a very bad electrical connection must be suspected. This is because even the small load of the fan or pump relay both less than 0.5 amp 0.25 amp is seemingly sufficient to reduce the voltage considerably.

What to look for

A loose and/or highresistance connection can be anywhere in the supply between the batteries and the controller. i.e. a bad breaker or fuse a loose or corroded screw connection a poorly made or corroded crimp connection a damaged section of wire etc.

For further information and reading on how to fix your 12v or 24v fridge you can search for manuals and articles on FixmyFridge.co.uk

About the writer:  Co founder of www.FixmyFridge.co.uk specialists in the repair and service of 12v 24v fridges in the UK and Europe. If you are looking to repair or fix a marine camper or truck fridge visit our webiste www.fixmyfridge.co.uk for more articles like this one

Tata Xenon Xt – Review

The charcoal grey interiors catch the eyes instantly. IP styling is great and is analogous to the other Tata models such as Sumo Grande. The finishing is quite superior to its predecessors.
I felt like hugging the person who designed the front end. I felt that its just built for me. The large command seating position tilt adjustable wheel and pedals adds to the comfort. The commanding seats are specially designed for extra comfort with large legroom. I cant ask for more. In spite of such great features it has some drawbacks too such as irritating central console mounted windows and switches. The thin gear stick too takes away some of its charm.
The rear seating part poses some problems. The small door and high sill line is the root cause of all evil. The ladies department of any family would prefer avoiding sitting at the back. The upright back rest and just enough legroom dont comply with most of our expectations. The maximum number of people who can board the rear part can be four. Taking five for long distances would cause a bit of discomfort
Like its predecessors the suspension is good and thus offers a smooth ride. The shocks caused by the bumps and potholes are almost absorbed. But the cabin clatters even if the windows are closed.
Salient features:
Cost: Rs. 864000 On the road Chennai Xenon XT 2*2
Rs. 970000 On the road Chennai Xenon XT 4*4
Personalization Kits: Front nudge guard roof light roof rails roof carrier side step canopy to change the silhouette bed liner to prevent scratches lockable boot lid covering to protect your stuff from the vagaries of weather and chrome rear nudge guard.
Standard equipments: such as power windows power steering foldable 2nd row seats lumbar support seats electrically adjustable rear view mirrors heated rear view mirror analog clock and remote operate fuel flap.

About the writer:  source : http://blog.itechtalk.com/2009/tataxenonxtreview/

Take A Road Trip Pack Your Motorcycle Luggage

The open road. The fresh air and wind blowing through your hair. The surge of the engine as you rev it. The fluid feel of the motorcycle on the road as it glides along. You’ve made preparations for this trip. Your only wish is that you had more storage space. Well wish no more. There are options.

The subject of storage on motorcycles has long been an issue of concern. With no room for a trunk not to mention it might look silly the storage for a motorcycle has been very limited in the past. The first type of luggage system we are going to look at is the saddle bag system.

Taken straight from the old west cowboys would use two leather pouches connected in the middle by a piece of leather and it would be either attached to the saddle or simply placed underneath the saddle. Each bag would be draped over each side of the horse and usually wasn’t very big. Today’s saddle bags are crafted in a similar manner. The saddle bags are usually constructed from real cowhide or PU man made leather. A quality saddle bag will have strong nylon straps and nickel plated buckles and studs to prevent them from rusting. There are several styles available that could include studs metal buckles fringes conchos waterproofing and rain gear.

The next type of luggage became popular when Peter Fonda playing the role of a motorcycle rider traveling to New Orleans used a backpack to store his luggage on the back of his motorcycle attached to the sissy bar. The sissy bar bag of today can possibly be used as a backpack. There are several materials used in making sissy bar motorcycle luggage. Nylon cowhide leather and man made leather are the common types of material used. As with saddle bags these too can have studs fringes metal buckles nylon straps and weatherproofing. There are also options available to have wheels and a luggage tote bar for transporting the bag while not on your motorcycle. Some also have reflective strips on the back of the bag so that when going down the road drivers can see you.

The motorcycle windshield bag is a unique type of bag in that it sits on the handle bars of the motorcycle. It is not a large bag but rather used for storing smaller items like sunglasses or maps. This can even be used for cellphones or other electronics as some of the windshield bags are weatherproof. Although there aren’t as many styles for windshield bags as there are for saddle bags or sissy bar bags the selection is still varied. Generally made from leather cowhide or man made these bags offer a great way to store those often used items while out on a motorcycle road trip.

The last piece of luggage we are going to look at is the motorcycle tool bag. These are small leather or nylon bags made to hold tools either in a rollup configuration or simply as a pouch. Often stored under the seat it helps to keep your tool kit organized and safely stored. Many of the same style options that are used with the saddle bags can be found for the motorcycle tool bag.

About the writer:nbsp;nbsp; Jafrum.com sells motorcycle helmets and motorcycle gear. You can find articles and products at our website www.jafrum.com
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